#atozchallenge: Hazmat (suit)

According to the US Department of Homeland Security, a hazmat suit protects the wearer from chemical, biological, or nuclear materials as well as high temperatures. Depending on what kind of hazardous material the wearer is dealing with, the suit might be different. DHEA defines four different levels of protection (A, B, C, and D), while there are six levels in Europe (1 through 6). You can read all about the ratings here.

Forensic technicians wear similar gear when they’re in the field collecting evidence. Theirs are designed to prevent contaminating a crime scene. So it’s not like the CSI: shows, all of which have left the air (I know, there’s CSI: Cyber, but the types of evidence they collect are all computer-related), where the female technicians go bopping around crime scenes in tight clothes and high heels. That really bothered Mary.

Often the abbreviated more well known name sounds cooler but some better than others. Take the Department of transportation for example. Near me we have PennDOT, DelDOT and NJDOT. The first two sound better when you say them. The word flows better.

My neighbor works for a DuPont subsidiary. She designs, among other things, suits like these that were used in the Ebola outbreak last year. Not something you can just phone in. If I ever need a hazmat suit, I know who to call.